A Day At The Carnival
by BlackHelix
Summary: Emma, Regina and Snow spend the day at a Carnival after Snow crashed the Hummer. What could possibly go wrong? After all it's just a few stall games and a Mirror Maze...right? What's so bad about that? Right? Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to spend the day at the Carnival.


**This is basically a bridging chapter between Chapter 9 of the Bucket List and Chapter 10. It explains what they did while the Hummer is in with the mechanic. For readers of my story 'Bucket List' you will get the Mini Golf part but for people just reading this straight out, HAVE NO FEAR, it is readable as a standalone apart from 'Mini Golf' part which is really one line. The rest of it should all make sense - well somewhat make sense, hopefully. Enjoy.**

**XXX**

"You two! Quit arguing, it's like I'm here with two children!" Snow exclaimed, with a loud huff before her eyes lit up like a childs at Christmas. One who just found out they got that game console they always wanted or that pony. Either way this was no pony Snow was looking at.

"Right," Regina said dragging it out in disbelief. "We're the children." She finished when she watched Snow run over to the colorful lights that lit up the stands.

After the incident with the car, _and running at least three miles after Regina and your mother _Emma added in her head. They had eventually figured out they had left the Hummer behind and had returned, with a grumbling Regina who took the lead and Snow who hung back behind her daughter for cover. She cowered, head bowed and stealing small worried glances in the brunette's direction. Once they had gotten back, Emma had managed to get a signal and call for a tow truck. So here they were, once again stuck in a small town awaiting the mechanic to finish the repairs. So to pass time Emma had suggested the County Fair, Regina was reluctant to go to such a thing quoting 'childlike enthusiasm' but Snow being Snow had innocently asked what a Fair was and Regina felt compelled to prove that it was for children...that didn't work out so well.

"Guess this wasn't what you were expecting?" Emma said, giving a small glance at Regina.

Regina sighed. "I actually thought your mother was more...mature."

"Cut her some slack," Emma told Regina. "She's never been out of Storybrooke, these things are very interesting to her."

"I've never been out of Storybrooke but you don't see me, running around touching every shiny and colorful thing that I see." Regina pointed out.

"Yeah but your..." she paused looking for the word, "You."

Regina turned to the blonde with a glare. "What the hell does that mean?"

"Nothing." Emma spoke quickly, throwing her hands up in defense.

"Oh my god! Emma! Regina! Look at this, it's so cute!" Snow exclaimed once again happily as she held the small yellow sponge toy, with eyes and mouth up.

"Is that?"

"Spongebob?" Emma finished with a nod. They both knew who the little yellow figure was, having spent hours upon hours watching the show with Henry.

"We are not getting Squarepants for your mother. Although her intelligence is rather like his."

Emma rolled her eyes. Regina still hadn't forgiven Snow for the accident with the car, but at the same time she wasn't trying to kill her. So bonus for a still living mother. "Come on, Regina. Isn't there at least one thing you've always wanted to do at a carnival?"

Regina gave thought to that. "Think we could prop your mother up on the dunk'em seat?"

Emma shrugged with a look towards her estatic mother. "Why?"

"I want to test my aim."

Emma gave Regina an unimpressed look. _Now whose being the child _Emma's internal voice said, something she would never say aloud. Turning back to her mother she found the exuberant woman bouncing around from store to store. "Come on, Regina, cheer up. What's the worse that could happen?"

Regina sighed. Emma was right, which was surprising. They were at a County Fair Carnival, nothing bad could happen...right? She gave that some thought. She was here with one of her worst enemies, Snow 'friggin' White and the womans infuriating daughter, Emma Swan. Both whose driving capabilities were as bad as a ten year old...check that, Henry could drive better.

"Very well, Miss Swan." Regina conceded. "I will try to enjoy myself."

"Thanks," Emma said with a small smile.

Regina and Emma parted allowing, the two clowns, two strong women, two bikey women and two women sporting beards to walk in between them. Regina sighed. This was going to be a long day.

"Hey move it, pretty lady!" A midget man exclaimed pushing between Emma and Regina but directing his comment towards the brunette.

A very long day. Regina sighed again. What had she gotten herself into?

**Hoops Galore**

Emma, Regina and Snow stood at the stall for basketball hoops throws. Emma had over the cash for three balls and picked up a ball. Using the ball she cracked her knuckles, shuffling her feet to get into preparation, she tossed the ball, it hit the side of the hoop and bounced away causing the stall operator to chase after it.

Emma rubbed her hands together, picked up the second ball and prepared again. She tossed it like before, it hit the back board and bounced away and yet again the operator took off after it. Behind Emma, Regina and Snow turned to one another a rather amused look on both their faces.

Emma grumply picked up a third ball. Cracked her neck and tossed the ball with so much precision it rolled around the ring, once, twice, three times, wobbled in one spot and fell. In the opposite direction, landing on the outside. Emma threw up her hands and declared. "This game is rigged! Rigged I tell you!"

"Miss Swa-"

"No Regina it's rigged!" She yelled and stomped away.

Snow turned to Regina, held out her hand for some money, which Regina reluctantly handed over to the pixie haired woman who paid the man, picked up the ball and tossed. It sailed through the air landing with a _Swish! _in the net. Having not touched the ring the man, handed her the biggest Spongebob toy they had.

"Emma's not going to be happy." Regina said and quickly Snow stashed the yellow sponge toy up her shirt, it didn't fit but all that was visible was two booted feet. However Snow had somehow in the past five minutes gained and extra few pounds.

**Drown The Clown**

"Is that an appropriate name for a childrens game?" Regina asked as they stepped up to the booth.

"Regina it's just a game and Mom your not doing very good trying to look inconspicuous with Spongebob." Emma said with a grumpy tone as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Emma, I'm sorry I just threw the ball and it went in. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." Snow spoke with a small pout on her lips, that even made Regina feel bad for the woman.

Emma sighed and uncrossed her arms. "It's fine it was just a game."

Regina nodded. "Exactly, Miss Swan, stop being ridiculous."

"I still call rigged!" Emma exclaimed as Regina handed over notes to the stall operator for Emma and Snow.

Taking a step back, Regina watched Emma and Snow grab hold of the watergun handles, enthusiastically - somewhat crazily - pump the water and fire away. Surprisingly enough, Snow quickly filled her balloon until it burst and splattered the poor operator who handed over yet again another toy for filling it within a certain amount of seconds.

Emma however...

**Shoot'em Up**

Regina and Snow walked quietly behind Emma who moped in front of them, leading them throughout the croud. The watergun 'Drown The Clown' game, which Regina was still trying to figure out why they named such a game for kids, however Emma had gotten so frustrated with the game that she had once again declared 'rigged' and soaked the poor stall operator in water from the gun before storming off.

"I think your daughter has anger issues." Regina commented at Snow.

Snow shook her head. "I don't know what to do to make her happy."

Emma stopped waiting for the two women, who slowly caught up to the moping blonde. No, she wasn't moping, she was just unhappy with the large amounts of rigged games that the Fair seemed to have. It was unbelievable. Maybe Regina was using magic to help Snow win...no that definitely wasn't it. "Will you two stop being so slow?"

"Step forward and win a prize! Shoot three ducks win any prize from the first row!" The man called out from his booth, "Shoot seven win any prize from the second row! However shoot ten and you win any prize from the top row!" He pointed towards Emma, "Hey you there! Why don't you give it a go? You seem like someone who knows how to handle a gun! Win a prize for you or your friends!"

Emma folded her arms. "And be duped again? No thanks I'll pass."

Snow eyes widened. The perfect idea had just dropped in, literally appeared in a puff off smoke, like Regina could. This was great. "Hey Emma, did you know Regina used to have a carousel like that one up on the top shelf?" Snow nodded, "I remember, you used to show me and we'd spend hours spinning it."

Regina rolled her eyes. "It was a ridiculous toy."

Snow sighed. It would only work if Regina went along with it. Either way it didn't matter, she knew Regina loved the toy. "That's what you say now but I remember you telling me it was something Daniel got you." She knew it was a sore subject to speak about but she had to breach it for Emma's pouting sake.

Regina shot a glare in Snow's direction, "Yes, well, we see how well that worked out."

"Regina I didn't mean that. I just meant that it was something you valued but seemed to have misplaced."

"How do you know I've misplaced it?" Regina asked.

"Well," Snow paused giving thought to that. "Lucky guess."

"Even so I don't care about such things. They hold no valu-"

"Con...Congratulations ma'am," the operator at the booth said with surprise as he handed over the carousel to the blonde woman. "Nice shooting...have...a good...day."

"Thanks," Emma nodded to the man and moved towards her mother and Regina. Stepping up to the brunette she held out the carousel, "Here."

"Miss Swan?"

Looking down at the carousel to keep her eyes on anything but Regina's, she spoke. "Even if it holds no value to you anymore. I want you to have it." She looked up towards the woman, "I know what it's like to lose someone you care about. Sure it won't bring him back, but it doesn't hurt to hold onto a souvenir of a memory."

Regina swallowed the lump in her throat - or tried to at least. She had thrown the original carousel into the fire a few weeks after she had married Snow White's father. "It's just a carousel, Miss Swan."

Emma smiled lightly. "If it's no big deal, then there's no harm in taking it." She nodded once again to the object, "If you want call it a 'thank you' for putting up with me. Please."

Regina reluctantly took it as Snow took a step back and made her way over too another stall, still lugging her Spongebob and Hello Kitty pillow. Yes, Hello Kitty. Emma moved to go after her mother but was stopped by Regina reaching out to her, turning Emma found an out of character, nervous Regina standing before her.

"Thank you, Miss Swan."

"Your welcome Regina." Emma gave a warm smile. "Now come on, we better catch up to my mother before she wins anything else and turns _our _Hummer into a mobile toy store." Emma moved to walk after her mother again but was once again halted by the brunette, she turned to face her.

"My Hummer, Miss Swan."

Emma rolled her eyes as Regina started after her mother. Yep things were good once again.

**Mini Golf **

"Keep walking, Miss Swan."

**County Police Department (Fair)**

Regina waited until the volunteer dressed up as a Sheriff walked past her before she grabbed the man's arm. "What does it take to have two people arrested?"

"Uh, two tickets?" He more asked, then supplied and answer.

"I've got a one hundred dollar note here." She snapped the note for emphasis before pointing towards the mother and daughter currently talking about something or another. "It's all your if you arrest those two." She nodded in their direction.

**5 Minutes Later**

"Regina! Help!"

**Duck Races (Regina)**

"Move, you stupid yellow rubber thing!" Regina screamed at the duck as other's around her yelled at their own ducks, whether with cheers or disappointment. She had secured the number '8' duck and it was currently still sitting at the starting point.

**County Fair Jail (Emma and Snow)**

"Hello?" Snow said nervously as she looked around the dark

"This feels awfully familiar." Emma said eyeing the stingy bed that was nailed to the wall and floor that held a drunk occupant, and at the jail bars. Yep this really did feel familiar.

**Duck Races (Regina)**

"I swear I will incinerate you if you don't move! You goddamn, yellow piece of trash!" She screamed once again and kicked the side of the tank when the crowd screamed at the number '3' duck that took first position.

**County Fair Jail (Emma and Snow)**

Snow breathed deeply, in and out, in and out, in and bloody out. _I'm not scared of the small spaces. No way, I've been in worse _Snow inhaled a large amount of oxygen before exhaling in and repeating, the motion getting faster and faster. _Are the walls really moving closer? Oh god they are._

"Mom, are you okay?" Emma asked.

"F-f-fine are those walls moving? Why's everything spinning?"

**Duck Races (Regina)**

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Regina cheered as her closed in on the finish line. "No you stupid duck!" She yelled and once again kicked the tank as duck number '3' over took her number '8' and swam straight over the finish line. She wasn't going to use magic...well not on the duck but the owner of duck number '3'...well that was a different story.

**County Fair Jail (Emma and Snow)**

Snow blinked as she came too. She could barely spot the lights on the ceiling and the black bars surrounding her. Although she could smell, the distinct smell of liquor. Lots and lots of liquor.

"Snow?" Emma asked as she stepped up to her mother. Now that the man was awake she couldn't refer to her as Mom or otherwise it would look weird, extremely weird. "You okay?"

Snow blinked again. "Where am I?"

"In jail, but don't worry I called Regina and she said she would come and get us..." Emma paused and thought that through, "She either said that or was yelling 'I'm going to get you!' at someone."

**Duck Races (Regina)**

With Regina running after the owner of duck number '3' she held the phone in one hand but was barely listening to what Emma was saying. All she knows was that she was going to incinerate the man when she got her hands on him. Either that or turn him into a duck. _Oh the irony that would be_ she thought to herself as she laughed evily before yelling, "I'm going to get you!"

**County Fair Jail (Emma and Snow)**

"And while she went to the library her friend went back to their dorm room..." He paused for effect as Snow sat invigorated by the drunks scary stories.

"What happened?" Snow asked hugging her Hello Kitty pillow to her chest with Spongebob propped up against the wall in a sitting position beside her.

"Well eventually she got tired and returned back to her dorm room, where when she opened to the door, she gracefully left the lights off believing her friend was asleep." The man said looking around the cell for dramatic effect once again.

Snow clutched the pillow tighter. "Was she?"

"She was asleep...permanently!" He yelled the last part causing Snow to jump. "The next morning when the girl woke up she found writing on the wall..."

"What did it say?" Snow asked interrupting the somewhat sobering man.

"'Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the lights'. Her friend had been murdered in the bed beside. The muderer had been in the process of killing her when she walked in. So don't...ever!" He yelled again causing Snow to jump once again, "Turn on the lights it you come home. You never knows whose there, or waiting for you."

Emma snorted in disbelief.

"Okay, ladies your free to go." The Sheriff opened jail door with a screech and a click.

"What were the charges anyway?" Emma asked as she stepped up to the Sheriff.

"Err," he scratched his stubbled chin before shrugging and walking away.

"Misuse of justice!" Emma called but was quickly dragged away with her mother by Regina.

**Mirror Maze**

"Oh my god!" Snow exclaimed as she jumped between mirrors. "Fat! Skinny! Fat! Skinny! Look you guys, my shape changes! Fat! Skinny!"

Emma rolled her eyes at her mother.

"Can we go inside?" Snow asked.

Regina noticed the look in Emma's eyes and sighed before turning to the pixie haired woman. "Ten minutes Miss Blanchard."

"Yes!" She exclaimed, thrusting the large Spongebob and Hello Kitty pillow in Emma's arms before taking of into the Mirror Maze.

**Mirror Maze (35 Minutes Later)**

"Should we start worrying now?" Emma asked as she checked her watch for the thirtieth time - yes she was counting -.

Regina looked barely interested as she versed an elderly man in chess. "Give her another few minutes, Miss Swan. I doubt there is anything to worry about. Check-mate!"

**Mirror Maze (1 Hour and 45 Minutes Later)**

"Can we start worrying now?" Emma asked as she looked nervously into the Mirror Maze.

"Check-mate!" Regina screamed jumping to her feet. "Take that you Brad Pitt wanna be!" She yelled and did a little dance. "Woo! Whose the boss?! Whose the best?!" She yelled continuing her dance.

**Mirror Maze (3 Hours Later)**

"Okay I think we should start worrying," Emma said. "I'm going in, Regina, wait here I'll find her don't worry."

"Very well, Miss Swan, you can have and ice-cream..." Regina moved her queen once again not paying attention to the blonde. "Check 'friggin' mate!"

**Mirror Maze (1 Hour After Emma/4 Hours After Snow)**

Regina had been forcefully removed, kicking, screaming and threatening bodily harm away from the chess table. Now she stood next to the Mirror Maze awaiting her fellow companions. She briefly entertained the idea of leaving them to their fate in the maze and getting in her Hummer to drive away. After all she had tried so hard to get rid of Snow White and it all it took was a bloody maze of mirrors. If she had of known that she would have let Snow White loose in her mirror hall back at her castle. Never to be seen again and don't even get her started with Emma. A Mirror Maze, who would have thought.

**Mirror Maze (5 Hours After Emma/8 Hours After Snow)**

It was coming on six o'clock and the sky was beginning to darken as the night approached. With a sigh and a rather large pep talk and argument with herself, against her better judgement she entered the maze to find her two lost fellowship companions.

**Mirror Maze (2 Hours After Regina/7 Hours After Emma/10 Hours After Snow)**

Regina stepped down another hall, turned right and made a left then another right and another left. She paused. There in front of her was Snow White sitting on the ground rocking back and forth, knees against her chest and arms wrapped around them. "Sno-Miss Blanchard?"

"There were so many. Too many." Snow continued her rocking.

"What are you going on about?" Regina asked exasperatedly.

Snow pointed in front of her at the motion display that would jump out at people in the maze to frighten them. It had numerous hello kitties and other random things. "So many."

"She's finally lost it."

**Mirror Maze (3 Hours After Regina/8 Hours After Emma/11 Hours After Snow)**

Regina maneuvered the halls as skilled as somebody with a map of the place...okay maybe not as skilled.

"Regina we've been past this place before." Snow said from behind the brunette. She was clutching the back of the womans jacket refusing to let go as she cowered behind the woman at each hello kitty display they passed.

With a frustrated huff Regina spoke, "How can you tell? We're in a Mirror Maze if you hadn't noticed, every path looks the same."

They turned another corner and came face to face with numerous Emma Swan's poking faces at the mirrors. It was being bounced off each and every mirror in the foreseeable distance. The blonde poked her tongue out and went cross eyed in the mirror as it bounced and reflected of the mirrors.

Regina sighed once again, a gesture that was getting more and more common since she took the blonde on board. She really was looking after two children...thing was she couldn't decide which was the more responsible.

**Mirror Maze (4 Hours After Regina/9 Hours After Emma/12 Hours After Snow)**

"Miss Swan!" Regina screamed causing the blonde to jump.

"Regina!" She yelled back and waved at the reflection of the brunette in her mirror. "I can see you!" She called out as she looked around to make sure the woman wasn't near her.

"Where are you?!" Snow called.

Regina looked at the woman in disbelief before she exclaimed with impatience. "We're in a friggin Mirror Maze, how can you ask that question?"

Snow looked around. "Oh right. Just wait where you are sweetheart!" Snow called to her daughter. "We'll find you!"

"Okay!" Emma yelled back before looking back the mirror and the brunette's reflection, pulling yet another face.

"And stop with the faces!" Regina yelled.

**Mirror Maze (4 Hours 30 Minutes After Regina/9 Hours 30 Minutes After Emma/12 Hours 30 Minutes After Snow)**

Regina and Snow rounded on Emma and Snow quickly tackled her daughter with a hug.

"Okay let's get out of here." Looking around for witnesses she rolled her eyes at the ridiculousness at the thought. They were in a Mirror Maze anybody could see what she was about to do. Either way she grabbed hold of Emma and Snow's shoulder and disappeared in a puff of smoke only to re-appear outside of the Mirror Maze, hardly anybody was around just a few stragglers in the far of distance of stalls. Even the operators of the Mirror Maze was busy chatting up a few women.

"Let's never do that again." Snow said with all seriousness, something Regina didn't know the woman had. Snow turned to the Mirror Maze and caught sight of her reflection. "Hey look guys! Fat! Skinny! Fat! Skinny! Look you guys, my shape changes! Fat! Skinny!"

Regina had a bad feeling about this.

"Can we go back inside and see if we can do it quicker?" Snow asked.

"No!" Regina and Emma yelled in unison.

"Geez I was just asking." Snow said with a pout, "You'd think I was asking you two for a kidney."

**Ferris Wheel**

Emma sat on one side next to Regina while Snow sat across from them gazing out the cart and over the County and it's landscape. It was beautiful from above and Snow's eyes lit up at the sight as the wheel turned and the cart moved higher and higher, reaching into the sky.

Regina yawned. It had been a rather long day and most of it had been spent in the Mirror Maze, getting lost, being found and searching. Regina smiled down at the carousel she rested on her lap while gently spinning it. It was beautiful, she wouldn't argue that fact.

"You like it?" Emma asked gently in a whisper as her Mother was continued gawking at the ground and how high up they were.

With a warm smile down at the toy, Regina nodded. "Very much so, Miss Swan. Thank you."

Some few minutes later when the Ferris Wheel reached the top, Snow looked back to her daughter and Regina, only to find the latter asleep on the formers shoulder. She gave a warm smile in the direction of the sleeping brunette before turning to the blonde who quietly rested her head against Regina's while she stared out at the lights of the town. Yes, somewhere deep down inside Snow knew this wasn't the same Regina from a few months ago, it wasn't the same Regina who had tried to kill her or who had cast a spell on everyone in Fairytale Land...no it wasn't. Things weren't perfect but as she watched her daughter wrap her arm around Regina's back to pull the brunette closer as she continued in obliviousness of Snow looking at them, Snow knew then and there - that, everything would be okay. Maybe not right away, but they were well on their way.

**Hope everyone enjoyed. I should have the next chapter off the Bucket List up soon.**


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